Alencon； to which he now returned； where royalism was secretly
dominant。 Du Bousquier； furious against Bonaparte； relating stories
against him of his meanness； of Josephine's improprieties； and all the
other scandalous anecdotes of the last ten years； was well received。
About this time； when he was somewhere between forty and fifty； du
Bousquier's appearance was that of a bachelor of thirty…six； of medium
height； plump as a purveyor； proud of his vigorous calves； with a
strongly marked countenance； a flattened nose； the nostrils garnished
with hair； black eyes with thick lashes； from which darted shrewd
glances like those of Monsieur de Talleyrand； though somewhat dulled。
He still wore republican whiskers and his hair very long； his hands；
adorned with bunches of hair on each knuckle； showed the power of his
muscular system in their prominent blue veins。 He had the chest of the
Farnese Hercules； and shoulders fit to carry the stocks。 Such
shoulders are seen nowadays only at Tortoni's。 This wealth of
masculine vigor counted for much in du Bousquier's relations with
others。 And yet in him； as in the chevalier； symptoms appeared which
contrasted oddly with the general aspect of their persons。 The late
purveyor had not the voice of his muscles。 We do not mean that his
voice was a mere thread； such as we sometimes hear issuing from the
mouth of these walruses； on the contrary； it was a strong voice； but
stifled； an idea of which can be given only by comparing it with the
noise of a saw cutting into soft and moistened wood；the voice of a
worn…out speculator。
In spite of the claims which the enmity of the First Consul gave
Monsieur du Bousquier to enter the royalist society of the province；
he was not received in the seven or eight families who composed the
faubourg Saint…Germain of Alencon； among whom the Chevalier de Valois
was welcome。 He had offered himself in marriage； through her notary；
to Mademoiselle Armande； sister of the most distinguished noble in the
town； to which offer he received a refusal。 He consoled himself as
best he could in the society of a dozen rich families； former
manufacturers of the old point d'Alencon； owners of pastures and
cattle； or merchants doing a wholesale business in linen； among whom；
as he hoped； he might find a wealthy wife。 In fact； all his hopes now
converged to the perspective of a fortunate marriage。 He was not
without a certain financial ability； which many persons used to their
profit。 Like a ruined gambler who advises neophytes； he pointed out
enterprises and speculations； together with the means and chances of
conducting them。 He was thought a good administrator； and it was often
a question of making him mayor of Alencon； but the memory of his
underhand jobbery still clung to him； and he was never received at the
prefecture。 All the succeeding governments； even that of the Hundred
Days； refused to appoint him mayor of Alencon；a place he coveted；
which； could he have had it； would； he thought； have won him the hand
of a certain old maid on whom his matrimonial views now turned。
Du Bousquier's aversion to the Imperial government had thrown him at
first into the royalist circles of Alencon； where he remained in spite
of the rebuffs he received there； but when； after the first return of
the Bourbons； he was still excluded from the prefecture； that
mortification inspired him with a hatred as deep as it was secret
against the royalists。 He now returned to his old opinions； and became
the leader of the liberal party in Alencon； the invisible manipulator
of elections； and did immense harm to the Restoration by the
cleverness of his underhand proceedings and the perfidy of his outward
behavior。 Du Bousquier； like all those who live by their heads only；
carried on his hatreds with the quiet tranquillity of a rivulet；
feeble apparently； but inexhaustible。 His hatred was that of a negro；
so peaceful that it deceived the enemy。 His vengeance； brooded over
for fifteen years； was as yet satisfied by no victory； not even that
of July； 1830。
It was not without some private intention that the Chevalier de Valois
had turned Suzanne's designs upon Monsieur du Bousquier。 The liberal
and the royalist had mutually divined each other in spite of the wide
dissimulation with which they hid their common hope from the rest of
the town。 The two old bachelors were secretly rivals。 Each had formed
a plan to marry the Demoiselle Cormon； whom Monsieur de Valois had
mentioned to Suzanne。 Both； ensconced in their idea and wearing the
armor of apparent indifference； awaited the moment when some lucky
chance might deliver the old maid over to them。 Thus； if the two old
bachelors had not been kept asunder by the two political systems of
which they each offered a living expression； their private rivalry
would still have made them enemies。 Epochs put their mark on men。
These two individuals proved the truth of that axiom by the opposing
historic tints that were visible in their faces； in their
conversation； in their ideas； and in their clothes。 One； abrupt；
energetic； with loud； brusque manners； curt； rude speech； dark in
tone； in hair； in look； terrible apparently； in reality as impotent as
an insurrection； represented the republic admirably。 The other； gentle
and polished； elegant and nice； attaining his ends by the slow and
infallible means of diplomacy； faithful to good taste； was the express
image of the old courtier regime。
The two enemies met nearly every evening on the same ground。 The war
was courteous and benign on the side of the chevalier； but du
Bousquier showed less ceremony on his； though still preserving the
outward appearances demanded by society； for he did not wish to be
driven from the place。 They themselves fully understood each other；
but in spite of the shrewd observation which provincials bestow on the
petty interests of their own little centre； no one in the town
suspected the rivalry of these two men。 Monsieur le Chevalier de
Valois occupied a vantage…ground： he had never asked for the hand of
Mademoiselle Cormon； whereas du Bousquier； who entered the lists soon
after his rejection by the most distinguished family in the place； had
been refused。 But the chevalier believed that his rival had still such
strong chances of success that he dealt him this coup de Jarnac with a
blade （namely； Suzanne） that was finely tempered for the purpose。 The
chevalier had cast his plummet…line into the waters of du Bousquier；
and； as we shall see by the sequel； he was not mistaken in any of his
conjectures。
Suzanne tripped with a light foot from the rue du Cours； by the rue de
la Porte de Seez and the rue du Bercail； to the rue du Cygne； where；
about five years earlier； du Bousquier had bought a little house built
of gray Jura stone； which is something between Breton slate and Norman
granite。 There he established himself more comfortably than any
householder in town； for he had managed to preserve certain furniture
and decorations from the days of his splendor。 But provincial manners
and morals obscured； little by little； the rays of this fallen
Sardanapalus； these vestiges of his former luxury now produced the
effect of a glass chandelier in a barn。 Harmony； that bond of all
work； human or divine； was lacking in great things as well as in
little ones。 The stairs； up which everybody mounted without wiping
their feet； were never polished； the walls； painted by some wretched
artisan of the neighborhood； were a terror to the eye； the stone
mantel…piece； ill…carved； 〃swore〃 with the handsome clock； which was
further degraded by the company of contemptible candlesticks。 Like the
period which du Bousquier himself represented； the house was a jumble
of dirt and magnificence。 Being considered a man of leisure； du
Bousquier led the same parasite life as the chevalier； and he who does
not spend his income is always rich。 His only servant was a sort of
Jocrisse； a lad of the neighborhood； rather a ninny； trained slowly
and with difficulty to du Bousquier's requirements。 His master had
taught him； as he might an orang…outang； to rub the floors； dust the
furniture； black his boots； brush his coats； and bring a lantern to
guide him home at night if the weather were cloudy； and clogs if it
rained。 Like many other human beings； this lad hadn't stuff enough in
him for more than one vice； he was a glutton。 Often； when du Bousquier
went to a grand dinner； he would take Rene to wait at table； on such
occasions he made him take off his blue cotton jacket； with its big
pockets hanging round his hips； and always bulging with handkerchiefs；
clasp…knives； fruits； or a handful of nuts； and forced him to put on a
regulation coat。 Rene would then stuff his fill with the other
servants。 This duty； which du Bousquier had turned into a reward； won
him the most absolute discretion from the Breton servant。
〃You here； mademoiselle！〃 said Rene to Suzanne when she entered；
〃't'isn't your day。 We haven't any linen for the wash； tell Madame
Lardot。〃
〃Old stupid！〃 said Suzanne； laughing。
The pretty girl went upstairs； leaving Rene to finish his porringer of
buckwheat in boiled milk。 Du Bousquier； still in bed； was revolving in
his mind his plans of fortune； for ambition was all that was left to
him； as to other men who have sucked dry the orange of pleasure。
Ambition and play are inexhaustible； in a well…organized man the
passions which proceed from the brain will always survive the passions
of the heart。
〃Here am I；〃 said Suzanne； sitting down on the bed and jangling the
curtain…rings back along the rod with despotic vehemence。
〃Quesaco； my charmer？〃 said the old bachelor； sitting up in bed。
〃Monsieur；〃 said Suzanne； gravely； 〃you must be astonished to see me
here at this hour； but I find myself in a condition which obliges me
not to care for what people may say about it。〃
〃What